Taurine is found in high amounts in meat and fish proteins. It is essential in newborns as they cannot make it. Adults can produce taurine from the amino acids cysteine and methionine with the help of vitamin B6. High concentrations of taurine are found in the brain, heart tissue, skeletal muscle and the central nervous system.
Taurine functions as a neurotransmitter, transferring messages from one nerve to another. It is a key component of bile which is needed for the digestion of fats, the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and the control of serum cholesterol levels.
The most prevalent amino acid in the heart, taurine helps conserve potassium and calcium in the heart muscle, helping it to function better.
Women seem to require more taurine than men, since the female hormone oestradiol is found to inhibit its synthesis in the liver. Taurine requirements may also increase when an individual is under stress or on a vegetarian diet - an unbalanced protein intake leads to a lower methionine and cysteine intake, reducing the body's ability to make taurine.